Attacks continued to escalate, and by 2013 some analysts began to see greater influence by al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb in Boko Haram operations.
Amid growing concern about the escalating violence, President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in May 2013 in the three northern states where Boko Haram is the strongest - Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.
The conflicts have left around 90,000 people displaced. Human Rights Watch states that Boko Haram uses child soldiers, including 12-year-olds.
